Question:
What would happen if I only drank water for a few days...

Ok...I know I'm gonna get busted for asking this, but I need some help, so here goes....would it hurt anything if I ate nothing and drank only water for 3-4 days? I have gained 4 pounds in the past two weeks and it's really making me mad!! I am 11 months out and have lost 91 pounds and I am "very" happy with that..but at the same time, I don't plan on gaining again...and I have been doing everything right!! I "HAVE" to break this "whatever my body is doing" thing, and I need to do it NOW! Would this hurt me???? Thanks in advance! Lisa Open RNY 11/02 286/195/140    — medium (posted on October 20, 2003)

October 19, 2003
I suspect you already know the answer to this one. I won't give you all the reasons not to. I will only tell you if you do it, then your body will react accordingly. It will think you are starving and retain water. It won't help you lose weight. You may drop a lb or two but as soon as you start back eating, it will reappear. I am 9 months post op myself and have hit a plateau. I am only 17 lbs from goal and have maintain this weight for 3 weeks. It is hard to be so close I know. We have to remind ourselves this is a way of life, not a diet. You may be building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. Just continue to do the right things. Stay off the scales for awhile and lighten up on yourself. 91 lbs is great!! How long would it taken you to lose that before WLS? You already ahead of the game aren't you? If you need someone to talk to email me anytime. I understand.
   — june22

October 19, 2003
What is it with us? We have it implanted in our barins that it is feast or famine. I often have the same thoughts that if I just don't eat I will lose that extra pound but the reality is that it is not healthy and does not work. A much healthier alternative is to go back a stage or two in your eating and just do shakes and protein like cottage cheese and chicken. When I am slowing with my loss it is never the amount I am eating of protein but just that I am adding things in that are not helping the loss or that I have slowed down the liquid intake. Are you premenstual? That can kill weight loss or make you gain too. If you are close to your goal that could be the problem. Normal weight women can gain 5 pounds or more at that time of the month. You are a goof. You knew the answer to your question before you posted but I can totally relate to the desperation. Good luck.
   — Carol S.

October 19, 2003
Lisa....in the big scheme of things 4lbs is not a lot of weight gain. If you were to just drink water for a few days, you'd end up feeling like total crap....and that is no lie! Sure, up your water intake...but, even more than that....up your protein intake, cut out most of your carbs and start eating 6 tiny little meals if you want throughout the day to cut your cravings. With this kind of surgery you can't NOT eat. Our tummys are way smaller than normal. We need all the nutrients we can get...water will NOT cut it!
   — Heather D.

October 20, 2003
Boy, can I relate to the frustration of gaining just a few pounds. I am like you in that I am also determined not to gain and want to get rid of any extra weight right away, however, doing it with a water diet is not the answer. The first poster was correct in saying that the body will fight to retain and not go into starvation mode and when you eat again, it will happily pile the pounds back on...bottom line is that it is a calories game and apparently you are taking in more calories than you are burning to maintain your 91 pound loss. Track your calories HONESTLY for a few days, then eliminate a few hundred a day. Then weigh yourself after 2 weeks and see the difference. Also, to burn more calories, increase the frequency of your work outs (if doing 3X a week, make it 4, and if for 30 minutes, make it 40..). Also if the workouts are not heart pumping cardio, it doesn't work to increase the metabolism (which when raised, burns calories more efficiently). Walking doesn't cut it...unless uphill at a fast pace!! Good luck.
   — Cindy R.

October 20, 2003
As others have noted, a few days of water is not going to solve your problem. You will feel awful, be weak, and likely lose little, if any, weight. You need to figure out why you gained the four pounds to begin with. Is it natural water gain (pre-menstrual, eating a lot of salt, not getting in your 64 ounces every day), or are you eating more, or making poor food choices? Do honestly track what you eat and drink every day, and what your exercise patterns are. Adjust those once you have a good, objective, look at the real picture. That will give you real results.
   — Vespa R.

October 20, 2003
I live by the 2 week method of gain and loss. If a gain sticks around for 2 weeks then I will seriously reevaluate what I'm doing and tweak things. Usually however it vanishes within the two weeks without any extra effort on my part. I think our bodies (especially the famale body) gains water and just lets it go when it's ready. Not that this is your problem and I don't want to make light of your problem. It IS scary to gain when we've went thru so much to lose, but fasting is seriously not the answer. One of the drastic things I do to get the weight moving again is go high carb (not sugar and bad carbs, but lots of veggies and whole grains) for a couple of days and this seems to knock the block. Good luck!
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 20, 2003
I would think the same thing would happen as when we used to diet. The body will lose some weight and when we start eating, gain more back then before we started. Not eating is a sure fire way to get fat again.
   — mrsmyranow

October 20, 2003
Hello gang! Thank you to everyone who responed!! Of course, I know you guys are correct in your thinking and I am bassackwards in mine, so I thank you for the "wake up" call...but this is frustrating! I'm not at all saying I'm unhappy with what I have lost...I am "way" jazzed about it...but it sort of freaked me out to have gained 4 pounds and I cant' get rid of it! This is the first time in about 15 years that the scales have read UNDER 200...and I do NOT want that creeping back up, ya know? But I got the message loud and clear, and I know what I need to do now to keep my body healthy AND give it a chance to lose this weight again....you guys are just AWESOME!!! THANK YOU!!! Love and light, Lisa
   — medium